The Unusual Suspects

If you have logged on-line some time in the last few weeks, you may have heard of a movement called Kony 2012. The intense passion shown by my fellow Westerners has been astounding, especially in its sheer intensity. I'll be honest and say that the campaign run by the movement Invisible Children has hit a chord with me, but most likely not in the way that they intended.

You see, it has not only illuminated the despicable and methodical killings of a Ugandan warlord named Joseph Kony to the world, but has also brought to light the fact that almost the entirety of my generations knowledge about this issue has come to light because of a thirty minute MTV-style video.

Not only have they not known before this, but the simple fact is that for the majority of them, they have not cared enough about injustice to know. It has taken this video to open their eyes and I thank God they have been opened.

Please, do not get me wrong. Joseph Kony IS one of the worlds worst war criminals and I completely support the international effort to arrest him, disarm the LRA and bring the Child Soldiers home. However, the list of war criminals also includes Robert Mugabe, Charles Taylor (who also uses child soldiers), Felicien Kabuga, Efrain Rios Montt, Bosco Ntaganda, Ratko Mladic, Omar-El Bashir and hundreds of others who are either awaiting jury verdicts, in exile or on the run for various crimes against humanity including but not limited to rape, murder, torture, use of child soldiers, embezzlement, fraud and terrorism.

To the people who repost and share the video I have a few simple questions for you..

What do you know about Joseph Kony and the Ugandan struggle past the Invisible Children's video? 

What do you know about the countries of Uganda, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo or Rwanda? 

What do you know of the people past the three seconds you get in videos that encapsulates a snipped of their pain?

What Joseph Kony has done is abhorrant, vile and makes me feel like throwing up. Yet, there are so many similar stories it seems negligent to focus in on one.

Radko Mladic was responsible for the killing of 8,000 Bosnian Muslims in the highest mass murder known to the world since World War II.

Robert Mugabe has destroyed one of the brightest jewels in Africa and turned it into a cesspool, killing many and destroying the livelihood of millions.

Omar El-Bashir is one of the only sitting head of states in history to be indicted by the International Criminal Court, for his alledged involvement in the rape, murder and torture of civilians in the chaos of Darfur. Three years on from his indictment, he is still the current president of Sudan. He travels freely and easily.

I fear that people have jumped onto this movement because it is extremely offensive but also because it is safe. 

It does not affect their way of life dramatically, and it does not radically shift peoples world views. They will get upset .. but in 6 months, will change have happened? Is this the start of change?

I dearly hope so, but frankly, I don't know. I fear greatly that in one year, the name of Joseph Kony will have been forgotten by the majority of individuals who shared the video, banished to the region of their minds which is simply labelled "I don't care anymore". 

Right now, peoples morals have been outraged... but the most poignant moment of the entire Invisible Childrens video is the line "For 20 years, Joseph Kony has been murdering and abducting children .. but no-one cared".

No. One. Cared.

Do not get me wrong, I believe with all my heart that Kony should be found and arrested for what he has done and I shall be there on the 20th of April, distributing Kony posters over Melbourne but if this video does not illuminate the fact that the Western World only cares because of a 30 minute video then it has failed miserable.

We get outraged yet we have issues of injustice in our own homeland. Our own government has repetitively furthered the issues and problems of Aboriginal people whilst treating them like outcasts, whilst we get outraged by the acts of overseas warlords. I love the passion that has arisen in people, but also be passionate about the similar issues of dire mistreatment which occur in our own backyard.

So the question remains.

In two years .. Will you still care about Joseph Kony?

What Next? 

After Kony 2012, the question must be what next. If it has not been asked, the movement has failed. Will we have Mugabe 2013? El-Bashir 2014?

The response must be intellectual, knowledgeable and most of all passionate. There is nothing more dangerous to the evil that lurks in this world than passion armed by knowledge. Get yourself educated.

Find out what is happening overseas and find out what is happening in your own country, because that is the only way that things will every change.

I want to see justice for all, not just those who made it onto youtube.

If this is real, and this is the start of something tangible then I will openly celebrate with anyone who wishes to. However, if this is merely a popular trend that will subside within months of this years then I will openly weep.

Nothing could be a sadder reflection of the state of our society than that.

What do you believe? Let me know below.